Reports | No proposal from SLC about hosting IPL in Sri Lanka, reveals BCCI official

With India’s nationwide lockdown extended till at least May 3, the BCCI forced to shelve the 13th edition of the IPL for the time being. Considering the fact that there is a lack of any clarity over how long it would take for things to return to normal, Sri Lanka Cricket’s president Shammi Silva offered to host the tournament in Sri Lanka as he is confident that the pandemic would be eradicated from their country before India.

However, a BCCI official confirmed that currently, there is no proposal from the SLC and there is no guarantee about any discussion even if it comes along. As a matter of fact, international flights have been mostly suspended after several countries imposed lockdowns to contain the deadly virus.

"There is no proposal from SLC yet and obviously no discussion. Sri Lanka has been BCCI's ally at the ICC and their proposal is understandable. But what about once he (Manohar) steps down next month. You could see new equations forming and there could be multiple options on the table, not just Sri Lanka," the board veteran added.

Earlier, Silva stated that if the tournament does go ahead in Sri Lanka, it will be beneficial for both countries. In the past, the league has gone out of India only twice, with South Africa hosting the 2009 edition and the UAE hosting a significant part of the 2014 edition due to the general elections in the country.

“It looks like Sri Lanka will be clear of the coronavirus before India. If so, we can host the tournament here. We will be writing to the Indian cricket board soon. $500 million if IPL 2020 gets cancelled. If the Indian board does agree to play the tournament here, we’re ready to provide facilities in line with the requirements and recommendations of medical professionals. It would be a substantial source of income for Sri Lankan cricket as well.”